The Key's Choice
by Sunrunner's Fire
Summary: AU The Gift. Dawn jumps off the tower and is given a Powerful offer: eternal life in exchange for becoming the symbol of hope for a newly formed Fellowship. DawnLegolas
1. Let's Make a Deal

The Key's Choice

Rating: FR18. May go up. Depends on how far my mind goes into the gutter.

Author: Sunrunner's Fire

I Disclaim: Joss Whedon owns all things Slayer-ific. JRR Tolkien owns all things revolving around the One Ring. I own a 1987 BMW and a really crappy computer with a spastic Ethernet connection. That is all. Please don't sue me.

Everything hurt. In fact, on the pain-o-meter, Dawn was pretty sure this was right up there with pain caused by the rack, or listening to emo, or Buffy's cooking. Anyway she sliced it, this royally sucked. "Let me die… please, just let me die," she whispered, feeling the blood that fed the portal run in steady streams down her legs.

She knew what would happen. Buffy would come. She would come and save Dawn the only way she knew how: by leaving her little sister to clean up the mess. Dawn still remembered the mess that Buffy left for her to clean after the snake demon came for her. Some of the stains were permanent. There was much moving of the furniture done that day at the Magic Box.

She could see Buffy climbing the tower, and knew that Buffy would try to leave her behind, be the hero and leave everyone else to deal. Anything she could to escape the raw deal given to her by the Powers. _Summers blood. It needs Summers blood and I will be damned if she gets to take the easy way out this time._

Dawn looked around, searching for something, anything that would free her from the bonds that Glory's leper-like minions had tied. "Stupid Boy Scouts and their stupid knots," Dawn mumbled, jerking frantically on the ropes. To the side, a slash of steel caught her eye. _Somebody left a knife nearby._ Ignoring the part of her mind that longed to roll its eyes at the sheer idiocy of minions in general, and those of the bitch hell-goddess in particular, she reached out towards the knife with one foot, finally grateful for the too-long legs the monks had so thoughtfully provided. Pervs.

Using her toes as grips, Dawn brought the knife up to her hand, and, holding it rather awkwardly, cut the rope attaching her to the tower. Working swiftly, she freed her other hand and looked to see what progress Buffy had made in climbing the tower. Buffy had reached the top and began to make her way to Dawn when the determined tone in the younger girl's voice stopped her cold.

"Not this time."

"Dawn – "

"No," Dawn cut her off before she could finish. "Not this time. This time it's my turn. This is what I was made for. _I'm _the Key, not you. Slayer, you have your destiny. Let me have mine," her voice broke.

Dawn choked back her sobs and looked at the face of her family. "I love you." Dawn turned her back on her sister, and without looking back, dived off the platform, the purple dress billowing around her as the world dropped out from under her, the wind attempting to catch the tall girl. It took everything in Buffy to keep her from following Dawn off the tower, as the worlds separated and night fell over Sunnydale once more.

* * *

More pain. So not of the good. Dawn felt as if she was being ripped apart at the seams. Closing her eyes, she braced herself, waiting for the impact, hoping that when it came, she would not feel it. _Hello Key. _With those whispered words, the pain stopped, and Dawn hesitantly opened her eyes, afraid of what she would find on the other side. 

Light. Everything around her was light. Without form a vast nothingness of pure whiteness that Dawn felt sure would irritate her if not for the fact that she was too happy about the feeling of non-impact she was currently experiencing.

_Who's there? Who are you?_

_We are those that guard the worlds, Key. We are called many things in many tongues. Your kind calls us the Powers that Be._

_What do you want with me? _Dawn asked defensively.

_You asked for death. We are here to consider your request._

_There's something to consider? _Dawn snorted._ In case you've missed it, I'm kinda in mid air and bleeding to death._

_We are wondering, Key, if the rest you now seek is what you truly desire. We have an offer for you. There is another to consider._

_What are you talking about? In the first place, I jumped. You know. Took the plunge. Made a flying leap. Took a long walk off a short pier. Offed myself… need I go on? In second place, nuh-uh. No deals from you. Not for me. You guys tend to give those lame-assed game show deals, only there's just one door and the prize is pretty shitty._

_We offer you life, _the Powers continued, unfazed with the girl's rant._ Life eternal for you and the other, Key. Life in exchange for guiding our champions. You will show them the way, give them hope. You and the other will be their symbol for good, something that they are even now searching desperately for._

_Who is this other? It's only me here? _Dawn asked, confused about the invisible partner the Powers were apparently saddling her with.

_You hold the other, _the Powers whispered._ Think, Key. Remember. _And remember she did. Forgotten in the drama that was her life was a memory of a shy boy in her art class. Fumbling hands and lips that were hesitant and all of it over too soon for either of their liking. Dawn froze, realization coming like a two-ton anvil landing on a bug._ Do you now understand our considerations_? The Powers asked, the monotonous, androgynous voice grating on her nerves. _Yes, _Dawn whispered._ And our offer?_

_Life. _Dawn said, staring defiantly into the light, as if staring down an enemy._ Life _she repeated, stronger this time and waited for the Powers to respond._ Very well, Key. Life you shall have. _And for the second time that night, Dawn Summers, sixteen, pregnant, and newly immortal felt the world drop out from under her feet.

* * *

Three days later, in a small town in Southern California, a funeral was held for a teenage girl that everyone thought committed suicide, unable to live without her mother. Everyone but her family, who knew the truth. Buffy, Giles, Willow, Tara, Xander, and Anya turned as one from the new grave. Spike was waiting at the house on Revello Drive. He would want to know about the service for his Nibblet, but the Scooby Gang was not willing to rise above their own grief to comfort him. As night fell, he left the house, making his way to the graveyard and the stone that awaited him there. 

Dawn Marie Summers

1984 – 2001

Beloved Sister and Friend

You have gone into the light and left those behind in darkness

We will miss you forever

On that same day, in a different world, Dawn Summers found herself lying on the ground, looking up at the business end of a rather sharp arrow wielded by a man with a rather forbidding expression on his face. And for some reason, pointed ears. With such a sight in front of her adding to the weight of her decision, Dawn did the most sensible thing she could think of: she fainted.


	2. Hello Gorgeous!

The Key's Choice  
Rating: FR18. May go up. Depends on how far my mind goes into the gutter.  
Author: Sunrunner's Fire  
I Disclaim: Joss Whedon owns all things Slayer-ific. JRR Tolkien owns all things revolving around the One Ring.  
I own a 1987 BMW and a really crappy computer with a spastic Ethernet connection. That is all. Please don't sue me.

* * *

Oct. 20

Two weeks. It had been two weeks since she'd fallen. Dawn had landed in a forest somewhere, and upon regaining consciousness - which she still didn't think was such a good idea an her part, after all, one can't get pushed around by higher beings if one was unconscious, now could they - was asked several questions by a guy - _Elf, they're called elves_ - who had this amazing ability to do forehead contortions far surpassing those of anyone else she had known. Dawn had answered the onslaught as well as she could, but she knew she still had a lot of explaining to do. Like the fact that was going to have a baby in the near future. Anyway, two weeks later and she was beginning to feel at home in her new world. Imladris. Rivendell in the Common tongue. Dawn didn't know if it was because she was calmly - and rather maturely - accepting her choice or if she was still numb from the shock of having been dropped into a new world by the sadistic Powers in her old one.

_At least it's an incredibly beautiful alternate dimension_, Dawn thought, looking around at the city that had held her in its thrall since the first time she stepped out of the Healing house. _Goddess, if Buffy could see this_, Dawn sighed, the familiar ache in her chest building as she though about her old home. Dawn knew it was getting to be time. She wasn't sure exactly what time it was, but she knew she would have to make her presence felt and soon. Dawn set out from her room to find the three new friends who had taken her in, wondering how she was supposed to get started to this quest-thingy that she signed up for. What she didn't know was that her presence was already very much felt in her new home and her answers would be found all too soon.

Elrond Half-Elven was nervous. There was something not right about the girl that had fallen from the sky into his realm. As soon as she was able, Elrond had made like the Spanish Inquisition and asked her questions until she couldn't answer anymore. Throughout her story of gods and demons and secret training by someone called Spike, of all things, and fighting and sacrifice Elrond found nothing but truth, there was something about this Dawn that made him want to either protect her or run screaming when she came near him. Or both.

Arwen and the twins had no such worries about their new friend and instead spent hours in the girl's company helping her adjust to her new world and her new status as a ward of Elrond. And that is exactly what he found as he rounded a corner of the gardens: his three children, four now that he included Dawn. What he didn't expect was their choice of afternoon activity: teaching Dawn the bow. Elrond stopped, not wanting the four to see his curiosity at the younger girl's ability. He watched as Arwen whispered last minute instructions in Dawn's ear and Dawn made the adjustments that would send her, thankfully untipped arrow not towards the target, but towards - "Aiiy!" - Elrohir's backside. _Well_, Elrond mused, _at least she didn't miss._

The two girls took off running, abandoning the bow and not even Lord Elrond the Perpetually Cranky (as Dawn called him behind his back) could keep from smiling as the twins gave chase. Maybe it was her newness to this world that was causing him to be slightly wary of this girl, but Elrond knew that as suddenly as she had appeared, she had stolen the hearts of the ruling family of Rivendell.

Dawn and Arwen's flight came to a giggling end when, winded, the two took shelter under a tree. "Do you think they'll find us?" Dawn asked gasping for breath. "Shh," Arwen silenced her, "they'll hear you." The two waited in silence until the twins passed by their hiding place. With her giggle fit gone, Dawn lay down, her hand idly rubbing her stomach as she stared up at the leaves above her head. "Why do you do that?" Dawn jumped a little, showing Arwen just how far away the younger girl's thoughts had been.

"Do what?"

"Your hand. What are you protecting?"

"What makes you think I'm protecting anything?" Dawn shot back defensively. "Maybe it itched." Arwen only raised an eyebrow, knowing that Dawn was covering. Badly. Dawn sighed knowing she had to trust someone with the whole story and figuring that her best bet would probably be the only other female around. Taking a deep breath, Dawn looked around and began to speak…

"You used to be energy?"

"Yep. Green energy."

"And you opened doors into other worlds."

"Pretty much."

"And you tried to die to save your world."

"Got the scars to prove it," Dawn said gesturing to the recently healed wounds on her stomach. "And now you're immortal."

"Yeah. And don't forget pregnant. That's a pretty big factoid." Arwen shook her head, voicing her amazement at Dawn's ability to be so calm. "Oh, don't worry about that," Dawn replied, "I figure something's bound to come along that will make everybody remember I'm an overly dramatic teenager." Dawn paused, thoughtfully, "With the ability to use weapons and generally kick all-around butt. Well, maybe not Elf butt. Definitely human butt, though." Arwen smiled. When Dawn spoke like this, it was easier to tell that she was, for all she was immortal, a child of Man. No Elf would ramble on so. 'Willow-babble' was the term Dawn used for when she went on like this and while Arwen wasn't sure what the tree had to do with things, she loved the other girl's freedom of expression, eve if it was a bit odd.

"What will you do?" Arwen took the opportunity to interrupt the babble session when Dawn stopped to breathe. Dawn opened her mouth to speak, and then closed it, unsure of what to say.

"I don't know," she replied slowly. "I know I'm here to help, but I don't know who I'm helping or what I'm supposed to do or where to go and I really have no idea what to do when the baby comes. I'm honestly scared, Arwen. Really scared."

"When is the child coming?" Arwen asked, thinking it might be best to reassure the worried girl about this before going into her reasons for coming to Arda. "It's October here, right?" At Arwen's nod, Dawn continued. " The best I can guess is the end of June or the beginning of July. I'm really not that far along. If I were home, I don't think I'd even know about Junior here right now, but I guess mystical Powers are better than a doctor anyway."

"When the child comes, wherever you are I will be there." Dawn beamed, relieved that she had an ally in this situation. She hugged the Elleth, thanking her so profusely that they both began laughing again. Unconcerned with their surroundings, the two failed to notice the danger that crept upon them until it was too late. Elrohir and Elladan pounced, each grabbing one of their prey, and, holding the squirming, squealing females marched down to the river, ending their walk with twin splashes as Dawn and Arwen landed in the water.

Dawn surfaced first, sputtering and gasping and roundly cursing the twins in Sumerian, of which Wesley had spent a good part of his stay in Sunnydale teaching her. She was about to switch to cursing them out in the Common Tongue when she noticed that they had acquired a third. Her voice died in her throat as she looked at the stranger that had joined the twins on the riverbank. _Hello salty goodness._ Dawn's internal drooling over the newcomer was cut short by Arwen's appearance, looking fit to kill. "Dawn, are you hurt? Is the -"

"I'm fine Arwen. Everything's fine," Dawn hurried to reassure the Elleth, not wanting the baby to become common knowledge just yet. Arwen took no notice of the stranger, intent on trying to cause as much damage to her brothers as possible for throwing them in the river and possibly hurting Dawn. Dawn in the meanwhile returned her stare to the stranger on the bank. The one whose eyes had not left her face since she surfaced. Blue eyes stared into blue and the world seemed to drop away as Dawn found she couldn't look away from him. The three sibling's argument faded as they realized the other two had gone completely silent, and looking over, they saw that Dawn had yet to get out of the river. The stranger noticed this at the same time, and, still holding her gaze, waded into the water to help her out. As he reached her, Dawn felt her heart jump. He reached out and took her arm, helping her to the bank. When she was out, he turned again to look at her. "_Suilad._ I am Legolas, of the Woodland Realm." Dawn eeped as a jolt went through her. She closed her eyes, and upon opening them found herself back in the annoyingly bright place. _Shit._

_Hello, Key. We come with the answers you seek._

Dawn sighed. _Double shit._


	3. The Hardest Thing

The Key's Choice  
Rating: FR18. May go up. Depends on how far my mind goes into the gutter.  
Author: Sunrunner's Fire  
I Disclaim: Joss Whedon owns all things Slayer-ific. JRR Tolkien owns all things revolving around the One Ring. I own a 1987 BMW and a really crappy computer with a spastic Ethernet connection. That is all. Please don't sue me.

A/N: a short interlude-y type thing to make up for the fact that i really, really suck at updating.

* * *

Oct 22

Legolas paced the small room in the healing house, waiting for the pale girl in the bed to wake. It had been two days since it had happened; one touch and she had gone into what everyone though was a simple faint. When she did not regain consciousness, however, was when the others began to worry. And when they became worried, Legolas became worried with a side of guilt; he felt it was his fault, and Dawn wasn't awake to explain the annoying higher beings that kept yanking her chain.

The twins sat in a corner by Dawn's bed and watched their friend pace. It was obvious to them that he felt responsible, and hey, that was just fine by them as they thought he was responsible, too. Elladan and Elrohir watched carefully, waiting for their newest little sister to open her eyes so they could hurt whoever she blamed.

Arwen sat by Dawn's bedside, glaring at the twins and Legolas when he would pass by in his pacing. For two days she had sat by her friend, _not my friend, my sister_, and prayed to the Valar that both she and her babe would be safe. For two days she had not spoken to the other three, at first too angry for words, then later just giving them the silent treatment, rightly thinking that Dawn would agree with her on the punishment.

As for the unconscious girl in question, she had lain on the bed for the past days completely caught up in the world inside her head, oblivious to all around her. Arwen noticed it first, as she was closest: Dawn's hand began trembling, which soon led to her entire body convulsing.

"Dawn?" Arwen grabbed on to the other girl's arms, trying to hold her down so she wouldn't hurt herself. She was forced to back away when Dawn's slight form began rising off the bed, surrounded by an oddly glowing green light, still convulsing.

The room stilled, all eyes on the girl who had stopped shaking, but was still suspended in mid-air, but the silence didn't last long. With a strangled scream from Dawn, the light pushed through the room, knocking everyone off their feet.

"BUFFY!" Dawn cried, falling back onto the bed, finally awake, finally crying, her sobs echoing through the silent room. Shaking, Legolas helped Arwen to her feet and turned to offer help to the twins. All moved towards the bed, but Arwen got their first and, gathering the crying Dawn into her arms, turned and spoke her first words in two days to the others.

"Get out," was all she said, and the three Elves wisely took heed of the warning in her voice and left to tell Elrond Dawn had finally woken. Arwen lay down next to Dawn, stroking her hair and saying nothing. Slowly, Dawn's crying quieted down and she shakily got off of the bed to cross over to a basin and wash her face. She silently returned to the bed, lying down and curling into Arwen's side, trusting the Elleth to take care of her, at least for a little while.

"I got the answers I wanted," the hoarseness in Dawn's voice only added to the sadness in her tone. "Were they that terrible?" Arwen questioned, wondering what could be so awful as to make the cheerful Dawn appear so listless. Dawn shook her head, new tears falling down her face, "They weren't anything I couldn't have figured out eventually."

"Then why were you crying?"

"Because. I saw my family. I got to say goodbye and now I know. That was it. I'll never get to see them again."

And Arwen held Dawn as she spoke of her oh-so-strong sister, the wise book-loving father figure, the quirky, loving witch, the carpenter that was everyone's heart, his girlfriend, who was always brutally honest, and her best friend, the one person who could look her in the eye and admit that she might die, but he was going to make sure she knew how to go down fighting.

Dawn spoke of her old family as a member of her new one held her through the night and until her namesake came through the window.


	4. Of Councils and Insolent Witches

The Key's Choice  
Rating: FR18. May go up. Depends on how far my mind goes into the gutter.  
Author: Sunrunner's Fire  
I Disclaim: Joss Whedon owns all things Slayer-ific. JRR Tolkien owns all things revolving around the One Ring. I own a 1987 BMW and a really crappy computer with a spastic Ethernet connection. That is all. Please don't sue me.

* * *

Oct 25

Dawn ran as silently as she could down the open hallway, crossing her fingers that no one heard. She went to duck behind a pillar when she stopped short. _Looks like I'm not the only one eavesdropping_ she thought staring at the two small ones in front of her.

She'd met them the day before, when she'd finally been allowed to leave her room. Well, "allowed" really isn't the best word, more like "escaped." Bored with her surroundings and wishing for MTV, she instead turned to sneaking through the palace grounds trying to avoid being caught and sent back to bed by Arwen or Elrond and in her wanderings had instead found two strange child-like people. Hobbits, they said they were, Merry and Pippin from the Shire and both were happy to meet Dawn and even happier when she showed them the way to the kitchens. The three sat for hours, Merry and Pippin speaking of their home and their reasons for leaving it. Dawn couldn't help but think they were the most adorable things she'd ever seen, and told them so. The hobbits thought she was pretty okay, too, and by the time they were chased out of the kitchens, the three decided that "inseparable" would be a good word to describe them.

Shaking herself out of her thoughts, she returned to her task at hand. Dawn had come to listen in on the secret council Elrond was hosting and it looks like the two Hobbits had done the same. She looked around the area and spotted a third Hobbit hiding near a plant. _The loyal one… Sam,_ she thought smiling, and shook her head in exasperation. Did everybody have to have the same idea as her today?

She tiptoed over to the pillar Merry was hiding behind and sitting down beside him, began watching the fighting going on, matching names and faces to the descriptions given to her by Arwen and the hobbits. Dawn watched as Frodo volunteered his services, watched the sadness that filled Gandalf's eyes, watched as Aragorn gave his sword to the cause and as Legolas, who still watched her as she moved through her home, offered his bow. She saw Gimli, who she heard before she ever laid eyes on him, offer his axe and had to grin at that. The twins told her elves and dwarves didn't mix and she knew this would be too good to miss. The smile faded as her eyes landed on Boromir. Something about him just did not sit right with Dawn and she knew that he would be her hardest fight. She sighed when Sam left his hiding place to stand by Frodo's side and ducked to remain hidden when Merry and Pippin ran from their hiding places to join the quest thingy - Pippin's words, not hers. As Elrond presented the Fellowship to his council, Dawn waked out to the gardens, wondering just how they would take it when she announced she was going, too.

* * *

_Argh!_ Dawn's frustrated yell filled the air as she, yet again, pulled herself up from off of the ground, picking up the sword she had dropped on her way down. "Why can't I just wear pants?" she pleaded to Arwen, who watched with Elladan and Dawn's new hobbit-shaped shadows, on the sidelines as Elrohir grinned rather unrepentantly in Dawn's opinion. "Dresses are more appropriate to your station, _Lady_ Dawn, so you had best just become accustomed to wearing them. Besides, the green of the dress not only brings out your lovely eyes, but it also does a wonderful job of disguising the grass stains," Elrohir sing-songed before Arwen could respond. "You're still mad about the arrow, aren't you," Dawn sighed. Elrohir smiled in response "You keep dropping your shoulder," was all he said as he rushed her, Dawn immediately put up her blade to block the overhead blow, stepping back to absorb the impact and returning with a blow aimed at his ribs. The two continued in this manner, both too caught up in the fight to pay attention to their growing audience.

What began as a small sparring session for Dawn had quickly grown into the day's entertainment as Aragorn and Legolas stopped by to speak to Arwen and the twins, then stayed to watch Dawn repeatedly land in the dirt because she kept tripping on her dress. Boromir and Gimli soon joined, drawn in by the sounds of the fight and Dawn's not so lady-like swearing. Silently the group watched as Dawn landed a blow to Elrohir's arm with the flat of her blade, finally gaining the upper hand only to have it snatched away as she spun to avoid Elrohir's sword and once again tripped and fell to the ground.

"This is why women and swords aren't a good pairing," Boromir smirked. "You try fighting in a damn dress and see how long you can stay up," Dawn shot back angrily. Shaking off Elrohir's hand up, Dawn stood. "That's it! This is impossible and frustrating and making me want to hit someone, preferably you, Boromir if you say one more thing and don't you dare look at me in that tone of voice!" her rant about the sour look on Boromir's face was stopped by Elrohir turning her around. "Perhaps we should continue the sess-"

"Hold on, damn it. I'm not done yet," she cut him off turning back to the still smug-looking Man. Dawn took a deep breath and blew it out in a huff. "I don't like you," was all she said to Boromir, right before she kicked him in the shin and turning around, she walked away to continue the sparring.

Arwen was doing her best to hold back her laughter at Dawn's temper tantrum, finally having to turn away when she noticed Elladan and Legolas doing the same. Gimli and the hobbits were outright smiling at the exchange when everyone's attention was caught by Aragorn's startled "_What_ is she doing?" As one they looked to see Dawn, who had undone the laces to her dress, shimmy out of it and turn to face her sparring partner wearing only her pale green underdress.

"Much better," Dawn nodded to herself, satisfied, and with a nod to Elrohir began to spar, moving much less clumsily and with much more range in the shorter shift. The two continued their swordplay, silent except for the occasional "Don't drop your shoulder," or "You're guarding your middle too closely," from Elrohir. Arwen watched the fight closely, as she knew why Dawn was trying to guard her middle so carefully and she wanted to be able to step in if necessary. Boromir, however saw it as a chance to get a little revenge, and as Dawn moved to block a blow, dropping her shoulder, he moved behind her, pulling a dagger and holding it at her waist.

"This is why you shouldn't drop your shoulder," he breathed. "If I were an enemy, I would have gutted you by now, little girl." Having made his point, Boromir decided to let her go, thinking that the girl had learned what comes of women playing at being warriors. Before he got the chance, however, he found himself on the ground gasping in surprise at an incredibly pissed of Dawn planting a knee in his diaphragm and his own dagger at his throat. "You threw me…"

"If I were an enemy, I'd have slit your throat by now, little boy" her voice mocking as she looked down at her prisoner, holding his gaze as their audience looked on. "Dawn," Arwen spoke quietly from behind her, "Elrohir has put up the swords for today. Perhaps it's time to rest." Dawn moved the dagger away from Boromir's throat and stood, allowing the Elleth to pull her away.

She went and gathered her dress, pulling it on before turning back. "Boromir, I will say this using small words so your brain can understand it. You do not like the fact that I can fight, and you don't have to. Ignore me if it makes your world all shiny and happy-like, but do not threaten me again. Ever. One day you will be glad that I can fight. Glad that I can beat you. Until that day, leave me alone, you big jerk." And with that, Dawn walked off with Arwen in tow, leaving the males behind them frozen in shock.

"Insolent witch," Boromir growled to her retreating figure.

"I still don't like you," was all that was said in return, leaving the hobbits to finally dissolve in giggles at Boromir's clearly displeased expression.


	5. Why We Fight

The Key's Choice

Rating: FR18. May go up. Depends on how far my mind goes into the gutter.

Author: Sunrunner's Fire

I Disclaim: Joss Whedon owns all things Slayer-ific. JRR Tolkien owns all things revolving around the One Ring.

A/N: ok, i went and aged Dawn because apparently i have a really dirty mind and she needed to be older. so, given an august birthday, she was 16 going on 17. she left sunnydale in may and dropped in to middle earth in october. since that's after august, i'm giving her the age boost as a dimensional time difference type thing. she's now 17.

* * *

Dawn paced through her rooms, having dragged the un-protesting Arwen with her, continuing to rant on the lack of female empowerment in this world and the chauvinistic pig that was Boromir in particular. "And the worst part is, is that the jerk is right!" Dawn cried in frustration. "If he was actually an enemy and not just your regular average pain in the ass, he could have hurt us. If he was really an enemy, he would have." 

"And if he was really an enemy, you probably would have actually killed him, instead of just aggravating him," Arwen said, going over to the other girl and stilling her with a hand on her shoulder. "That, however, is not the reason that father is going to be upset."

Dawn looked at her, confused. "You should really be worried about the lecture coming from removing your dress in public…" Arwen trailed off at the smile that crossed Dawn's face. "Well, if I were allowed to wear men's clothing as I originally asked, then this wouldn't be a problem, so really, it's _Ada's_ fault, now isn't it?"

* * *

Dec 24 

The yelling had yet to die down in the council chambers that night, as Dawn had calmly announced her intent to travel with the Fellowship on their journey. She received the expected objections from Boromir and Gimli and the excited chatter of Merry and Pippin as they thought of the grand adventures that they could have with their friend if she joined. Aragorn expressed a quiet concern for her welfare, wondering if such a young girl should undertake such a hard journey. Dawn had coolly informed him that she had faced harder and come out still standing. Gandalf hid a small smile at that, the wizard knew far more than he let on, she knew. And he knew that she knew that he knew – Dawn stopped her train of thought there, knowing that it could only bring on a headache and focused on the others in the room.

Frodo remained quiet, Sam echoing the sentiment, leaving only Legolas. Legolas who still watched her as she moved through the city that had become her home, who was never far from the training sessions that the twins were still giving her. He rarely spoke to her, but she gathered that he had decided - probably in guilt for the incident at the river - that he would be her guard until the group left the city. She faced him, waiting for his opinion, trying to read the answer on his face.

"She should go," was his quiet response that sent the rest of the room into silence. "I have seen her fight. She has enough skill. More than some," he continued, gesturing at the Hobbits, "and if she feels it is right to fight along side us, then I do not see how we can turn down the offer of another weapon to our cause."

As he spoke, he watched Dawn's face, the calm, cool look that melted into a bright smile at his words. Turning to Elrond, she raised an eyebrow in silent question. He sighed, not wanting to break her heat by denying her, but also not wanting to let the girl he thought of as another daughter go off to fight a battle almost no one believed could be won. He closed his eyes in frustration and took the easy way out. "It is not my decision to make, as I do not lead this quest. The decision belongs to Frodo, to the Ringbearer."

Dawn turned to face Frodo, desperation in her eyes. She knew that she was needed on this quest. The Powers wanted her there, and she would be with them even if she had to sneak out and shadow them the entire way. Frodo read the pleading in her face, even as she held herself stiff, trying to appear strong in the presence of so many who did not want her there. "This is not your fight," he stated. "Why do you wish to become involved?"

"This wasn't your fight either, until you decided to join so you can protect your home. Accept that I have people to protect as well. This is my home. My world now that I can't go back. Let me protect it as well as I can. Please. Let me do this," Dawn cringed inside as she heard be begging tone that had entered her voice. Frodo looked around at the rest of the Fellowship and finally focused back on Dawn. "She goes with us," was all he said and all it took for the room to explode into a new set of arguments.

Dawn quietly left the room and crossed over to the pillar where she had hidden all those weeks ago. Peering around it, she spotted Arwen, and pulling the Elleth up, she told her the council's decision in one short sentence. "Come help me pack."

* * *

Dec 25 

It was on a gray morning that the Fellowship stood ready at the gates of Rivendell. Dawn, finally in the men's clothing that she had begged for since arriving, quietly stood next to Arwen holding her pack as she listened to the rules set down for her the night before.

"Do not deliberately look for a fight. Anywhere. And stay away form Boromir. He does not like you. You have another tunic, larger, for when the babe begins to make itself known. Be careful, sister, guard him carefully. And always have someone near you as backup –" she stopped at Dawn's put upon expression, grinned and decided to tease. "You can always ask Legolas. He already seems to be following you everywhere you go."

Dawn blushed at the tone in her new sister's voice. She knew Legolas had been acting as a shadow, but she didn't know that Arwen had picked up on it. She then paled quickly at a new thought. "Do the twins know?" Arwen pointed at where Elrohir and Elladan had Legolas cornered in a rather intense, rather hushed conversation. The light-haired Elf looked as panicked as an Elf could at the words coming from the other two and kept glancing over to where Arwen and Dawn stood. The twins finally let their friend go and, as one, tuned and winked at the two before going to stand beside them.

"He follows you around here as it is," Elladan began only to be cut off by Elrohir, "We have our suspicions as to why," he growled. Dawn looked between the two, confused. "After taking notice of this, we decided that it would be in your best interest to have a bodyguard on this journey. You are a daughter of the House of Elrond. You are an important figure in this new world of yours, _Lady_ Dawn," Elladan continued, reminding Dawn of the responsibility she carried as a ward of Elrond.

"You threatened him, didn't you?" Dawn sighed at the twins feigned looks of innocence. "You didn't threaten to bludgeon him to death with a shovel, did you?" At the funny looks given to her, she waved off the last question with a quick nevermind and motioned the twins to continue. "At our request," Elladan ignored the raised eyebrows of the two females, "Legolas has agreed to act in that capacity."

"And remind him that he is to guard you from harm, not to lead you into any trouble," Elrohir cut in again, looking over at the Elf in question, who was once again staring at Dawn. Legolas quickly looked away, his face tinged a faint pink at being caught staring. He had found himself completely captivated by the slip of a girl that he had fished out of the river, and for reasons he did not yet know he felt a fierce need to protect her. He did not mind the twin's request. He would have acted as such without it. He, however, didn't understand the condition placed upon him that while he was to guard her body, he wasn't to do anything else with it, or with her. Legolas shrugged the comment off, choosing not to notice the extra attention he'd been paying to Dawn's body after that conversation.

All attention was brought to the gates where Gandalf, Aragorn and Frodo were becoming restless, signaling it was time to leave. Dawn gave last hugs and goodbyes to the three siblings and moved to follow the others, Legolas coming up to walk at her side. She heard Frodo's whispered request for directions and Gandalf's equally hushed response as she turned back for one last wave.

The quest had begun.


	6. Caradhras

AN: Short, I know, but I'm trying to get back into the groove of things. Hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I own nothing original. That being said, on to the good stuff.

* * *

Jan 11/12

_I hate snow._ The California girl in Dawn had delighted in seeing the strange white fluffy cold stuff, but after a day of walking in it, enough was seriously enough. Legolas scouted ahead of the group, light on top of the snow, Dawn's muttered "And I hate you, too," causing him to look back and grin. Dawn was never a burden to the Fellowship, but she complained with the best of them, although since she did it so low that only he could hear, Legolas suspected that it was just her way of entertaining herself.

Dawn, being near the front of the group didn't hear Frodo slip, but the resulting commotion drew her out of herself and back to the situation at hand. Looking back, she couldn't help but shudder. Frodo had dropped the ring... and Boromir had picked it up.

"Boromir?" Dawn could hear the nervousness in Aragorn's voice as he carefully walked up to the Man, who had a look of almost childlike wonder on his face.

"It is a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing... such a little thing." Aragorn's hand crept slowly to the hilt of his sword as he urged Boromir to return the ring to its rightful bearer. Boromir looked on as if in a trance and Dawn sighed in relief as he looked up. "As you wish. I care not," was his careless reply as he returned the ring, ruffling Frodo's hair in passing. It was calling him, the ring, and Dawn could only pray he resisted it. They needed him.

* * *

The struggle through the snow continued as the Fellowship moved further along the mountain. Dawn had started counting her steps to stay awake. Her toes were numb, her hands were frozen and she knew, she just iknew/i that her nose was doing a stellar Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer impression. So engrossed in step-counting was she that she failed to notice Legolas's sudden stop and barreled right into him. Sure that he would tease her, she looked up only to see him motion for silence. He was listening, then Gandalf was chanting and whatever was going to happen, it wasn't going to be good. _I hate snow._ And then the mountain fell down around them.

* * *

When Legolas had finally managed to dig Dawn out of a snowdrift, the first thing she heard was yet another... discussion... between Aragorn and Boromir. "We must get off the mountain! Make for the gap of Rohan and take the West road to my city."

"The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard," Aragorn countered with a shake of his head. Gimli jumped in, "We cannot pass over the mountain. Let us go under it. Let us go through the mines of Moria."

The three turned to Gandalf to decide, not noticing the uneasy look on his face. "Let the ring bearer decide," he said, refusing to lead them to a place that held so much danger. Dread curled its way through Dawn's heart and into her stomach at Frodo's answer. The Mines had Gandalf worried. Sunnydale Survival tip No. 4 _Or was it 6?:_ If the person with the power was worried, you should probably be pretty darn terrified. "Oh, baby," she whispered quietly, placing her hand over the slight curve of her abdomen, "what the hell are we walking into?"


End file.
